A move from retail to the social care sector has paid off for a Powys woman with rapid promotion and being put forward for a prestigious award.

Victoria Chapman, deputy manager at Crosfield House at Rhayader, Powys has been shortlisted in the Exceptional Newcomer category at this year’s Wales Care Awards.

The awards – dubbed the Oscars of social care – are organised by Care Forum Wales to recognise outstanding work in the care sector.

Victoria will find out if she has won the award, which is sponsored by Educ8 Group, an organisation which provides apprenticeship programmes and training for employers and learners across South Wales, at a glittering ceremony hosted by television presenter Jason Mohammad at Cardiff’s Holland House Hotel on October 18.

Victoria started working at Crosfield House in October last year. She had no experience of working within a Social Care setting previously and she has taken to it “like a duck to water”.

“I had no idea I had been nominated for this award until I was told to prepare myself for an interview. I was really surprised to have been nominated and very happy to have been shortlisted,” she said.

Victoria said switching to the care sector had been of interest to her for some time.

“The job at Crosfield House came up and I applied and got it and within weeks I realised it was the right thing for me and I’m relishing the challenge,” she said.

Initially Victoria was employed as Lead Business Support, a role that oversaw all administerial duties and ensuring the smooth running of the home.

She dealt with the finances of the home ensuring residents had enough ‘pocket money’ in their account and supporting the central financial team at Caron Group.

Victoria also had oversight of all rostered shifts, ensuring staff had their contracted hours and annual leave. She also greeted all visitors to Crosfield House and ensured staff were made aware of their presence.

Just a few months after starting at Crosfield House an opportunity for Victoria to progress within the company appeared.

“The post of Deputy Manager became available and I applied and was successful. It has meant a further change in role and I’m much more hands-on with residents and their families. I’m really enjoying it and I’m pleased the career change was the right thing to do and that I was brave enough to do it.

“I’m not sure how the future works out but I’m ambitious and I’m enjoying my new role and I’ll build up experiences and see what happens. There are a lot of different avenues at the Caron Group and I’ll see what I’m capable of doing,” she said.

Emma Price, manager of the Tŷ Derw specialised unit for residents with dementia and complex needs in Rhayader and Victoria’s former supervisor at Crosfield House, said: “I am very proud of Victoria, her progression since starting at Crosfield House has been remarkable.

“She is thriving in her current role, she has been supporting staff with their mental health and has set up a hub where staff are able to reach out to her with any issues or concerns they have, be that work related or in their personal lives – this has been really successful with good feedback from our staff.

“Victoria has also made connections with the local job centre to push for local recruitment within the community and has arranged job fares to promote Crosfield House. Victoria is a well-respected member of the team here at Crosfield House and we are over the moon that she has been selected as one of the finalists. We are wishing her all the luck!”

Mario Kreft MBE, the Chair of Care Forum Wales, said the Wales Care Awards, said: “Our aim is to recognise the unstinting and often remarkable dedication of our unsung heroes and heroines on the front line of social across Wales.

“The care sector is full of wonderful people because it’s not just a job it’s a vocation – these are the people who really do have the X Factor.

“If you don’t recognise the people who do the caring you will never provide the standards that people need and never recognise the value of the people who need the care in society.

“We need to do all we can to raise the profile of the care sector workforce – they deserve to be lauded and applauded.

“It is a pleasure to honour the contribution of all the finalists. Each and every one of them should be very proud of their achievement.”